Silver dollar driver

Elsie Pugh and her school bus in 1952.

Can you imagine that 60 years ago North Carolina let 16-year-old students drive school buses? I was 15, and a route was going to be mine when I turned 16. So the day I turned 16, I went to Manteo and got my driver's license.

I was raised in Gull Rock, and all the roads around there were dirt except Hwy. 264. So the bus got stuck a lot. In the mornings, the kids liked it, but in the afternoons they were unhappy. They just wanted to get home so they could go hunting or play outside.

I received the Safe Driving Award for the two years that I drove. My award was a silver dollar. I still have them.

In my older years, I worked for Tideland EMC in the Engelhard and Pantego offices. I loved every minute there and made some great friends.